1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor test system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor test system for testing a device under test electrically coupled to a semiconductor test apparatus by pressing a performance board, which is electrically coupled to the semiconductor test apparatus, to the device under test.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a semiconductor test system 10 related to the prior art. In the semiconductor test system 10, a performance board 13 is mechanically coupled to a semiconductor test apparatus 16 by a fitting mechanism 19 and electrically coupled to the semiconductor test apparatus 16 via a connector 18. A conveyance arm 11 holds a device under test 12, allowing the device under test 12 to contact the performance board 13 by pressing the device under test 12 to the vicinity of the centre of the performance board 13 and pressing a board reinforcing structure 14 fixed to a side face of the performance board 13 to a box 15. Moreover, the test is performed by electrically coupling the device under test 12 to the semiconductor test apparatus 16.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a semiconductor test system 20 related to the prior art. In the semiconductor test system 20, a performance board 23 is mechanically coupled to a semiconductor test apparatus 26 by a fitting mechanism 29 and electrically coupled to the semiconductor test apparatus 26 via a connector 28. Moreover, a joining mechanism 24 holds the semiconductor test apparatus 26 by mechanically coupling the semiconductor test apparatus 26 to a box 25. A conveyance arm 21 holds a device under test 22 by pressing the device under test 22 to the vicinity of the centre of the performance board 23 so that the device under test 22 contacts the performance board 23. Moreover, the test is performed by electrically coupling the device under test 22 to the semiconductor test apparatus 26.
Since it is known that there have not been any documents of the prior art yet, the documents of the prior art will not be mentioned.
However, although the pressing force caused by the conveyance arm 11 is supported by the firm box 15 in the semiconductor test system 10 shown in FIG. 1, the distance A between the point of application and the supporting point of the pressing force is far as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 and the pressing force is supported via the parts such as the performance board 13, the board reinforcing structure 17, the connector 18, a board reinforcing structure 14, etc., so the loss of the pressing force occurs due to the friction force among the parts, and thus there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain linearity in the relationship between the pressing force and the amount of deformation of the performance board 13. Moreover, in order to obtain the linearity in the relationship between the pressing force and the amount of deformation of the performance board 13, it is necessary to make a product type exchange part such as the performance board 13, the board reinforcing structure 14, the board reinforcing structure 16, etc., firm or heavy.
Moreover, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2, the pressing force caused by the conveyance arm 21 is supported by the box 25 via the parts such as the performance board 23, the board reinforcing structure 27, the connector 28, a joining mechanism 24, etc., in the semiconductor test system 20 shown in FIG. 2, so the loss of the pressing force occurs due to the friction force among the parts, and thus there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain linearity in the relationship between the pressing force and the amount of deformation of the performance board 23. Accordingly, in order to make the contact pressure between the device under test 22 and the performance board 23 be a prescribed value, there is a problem that it is impossible to predict the pressing force caused by the conveyance arm 21.